FROM BOUNTY TO GAZA

Friday

For our last day in Negril we thought of going back to the Blue Hole but Kristof called us to say we were going to another spring. We took a taxi to Negril Spot and  a bike taxi up to Brighton again. The spring was indeed another blue hole, an opening in a rock formation where you can climb down a ladder to swim in a natural spring. A wonderful place to kick back and reason.

At the spring we met Craig, a retired American who spent most of his days in Jamaica. He took us on a ride in a crazy vehicle which he had tailor made. It's a bike that holds about 6 people. We first went to his house and then all the way to Negril again and down the West End. We were going to a comedy event with Mutabaruka at the Rock House hotel. The event had free entrance but the Rock House hotel was so touristy and expensive (JMD 770 for a beer) that we didn't stay for it. Well, the ride going there was just great.

Now that's what I call a bike taxi!

We left the Rockhouse on foot and walked up the West End to the roundabout. I passed 3 Dives Jerk center and asked if the chicken was ready. They said yes, let me wait for 30 minutes and then served me stone cold jerk chicken. When I said it was cold they wrapped it in tinfoil and put it on the grill again for it to dry out. A pity. We walked back to the Seven Mile beach and had some beers at our favorite bar. I went out for some food in front of Bourbon Beach. We bought tickets for the Bounty Killer show (JMD 1500) and checked out the venue right on the beach. The show started at 2 am. Good times. 

saterday

Today we have to get from Negril to Kingston. Because of the distance we decided to choose the Knutsford today. We took the 1 pm bus for a five hour ride from Negril to Mobay to Ochie to Kingston. The bus is brand new and we watched movies. 

My good friend Cooper was waiting for us at the terminal in New Kingston and took us to his house in Waterford, Portmore. Waterford is often referred to as Gaza in dancehall circles. It has a mythic status in Dancehall history as the place where Vybz Kartel is from and it's a great community where we have stayed five times already. We spend some time with Cooper's family and then went out to Portmore Plaza. 

The best know establishment on the plaza is Ken's Wildflower. Kenny's is a spacious open air rooftop bar with a great view on the Kingston mountains. Every night they serve up a piece of musical history, tonight it's mostly dancehall from the era 1995-2005. The music sounds fantastic. 

At about 2pm we drove to Coopers house again and Cindy went to sleep. Cooper and I drove up to Back Road and went to a go go club called OvaDoze. No pictures, sorry.